CCTV Physical Security National Security Guidance 1672430987

CPNI CCTV for CNI Perimeter
Security guidance
Helping you get the most out of your perimeter security CCTV
Installing a
CCTV system
Supplementary Equipment
equipment
1 selection
5 2
4 3 Human
Commissioning
factors
and maintenance
Read disclaimer
© Crown copyright 2017

© Crown copyright 2017. This guidance is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Disclaimer: This guidance is issued by the UK’s Centre for the Protection of National Security (CPNI) with the aim of helping
organisations that make up the national infrastructure improve their protective security. It is general guidance only and
needs to be adapted for use in specific situations. To the fullest extent permitted by law, CPNI accept no liability whatsoever
for any expense, liability, loss or proceedings incurred or arising as a result of any error or omission in the guidance or
arising from any person acting, relying upon or otherwise using the guidance. You should make your own judgement as
regards use of the guidance and seek independent advice as appropriate.

1. INstalling a CCTV system
PRINCIPLES
Understand how CCTV systems can help you and the types of
systems available
OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENT
Create a strategic plan of your security needs and define measures required

2. Equipment selection
THE SELECTION PROCESS

Work out the best equipment for your perimeter monitoring
and installation
CAMERAS
Decide which camera types are best for your perimeter
CCTV system
RECORDING
Understand the types of recording system available
VIDEO ANALYTICS
Understand how you can use video analytics to detect and determine
changes within a scene
TRANSMISSION METHODS
Consider which method of transmission should be used to send CCTV
images back to the control room

3. Human factors
THE CONTROL ROOM

Plan how operators will use technology within a control room
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
Understand what is happening in a dynamic situation

4. Commissioning and maintenance
COMMISSIONING
Determine whether the installed CCTV meets operational requirements
MAINTENANCE
Ensure that the CCTV system continues to operate as designed

5. Supplementary equipment
Perimeter lighting
Use lighting to help deter and detect intruders
THERMAL IMAGING
Consider using thermal imaging to give longer operational ranges
IP SYSTEMS
Ensure that the CCTV system continues to operate as designed

1. Installing a CCTV system 8
Principles: overview
The following principles should be followed when installing a CCTV system:

• to detect an intruder, the target image must be at least 10% of screen height if being monitored by human operators
• Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) cameras could be used, mainly for tracking, to supplement fixed cameras
• CCTV can monitored in three real-time modes:
• by operators
• by alarm triggers
• by video analytics
• any video recording system must be able to provide usable and useful imagery for the whole life of the recording
• a well-trained and motivated security team is needed
• any CCTV installation should be underpinned by a clear and well thought out Operational Requirement.
Read more about Principles

You may also want to read about Operational Requirement
You may also want to read about Cameras
Go to 1. Installing a CCTV system
Go to start of CCTV perimeter security guidance
Go to Glossary

Operational Requirement: overview
A Level 1 Operational Requirement (OR) is used for protecting critical assets against security threats. When you carry out
a Level 1 OR, you:
• assess security risks
• identify risk mitigation options
• evolve and justify the actions that need to be taken and investments to be made.
A Level 2 OR addresses individual security measures. It should be carried out when there are any:
• alterations
• design changes
• new control rooms.
Read more about Operational Requirement

You may also want to read about Principles
Go to Glossary

Principles
Where it has been deemed necessary that a site be protected by CCTV, the following principles should be followed:
Camera types
Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) cameras may be used to supplement fixed cameras predominantly for tracking purposes. PTZ may
be used to investigate alarms, but it must be remembered that if a camera is being used to examine a specific area, it is
not covering the area it was covering pre-event. Is that area being covered by another camera?
CCTV Modes
CCTV can operate in three real-time modes:
Mode 1: Monitoring by operators
If cameras are monitored by operators, the cameras on the perimeter should produce a quality image that allows
an operator to detect any attempted intrusion or hostile activity. A balance must be struck between how long each
camera image is on screen and how many times that image is displayed within a given time frame to allow for consistent
monitoring and assist with the detection of any issues.
If the perimeter is protected by other CPNI assured physical security measures (e.g. PIDS or Fencing), each camera image
should be actively viewed at least once every five minutes. By doing this, all of the perimeter will be monitored, either
by technology or human detection. Some scenes may need more frequent viewing due to operational business needs,
cluttered or busy scenes or vulnerable points.
As humans we need minimum image sizes, however good the picture quality
• to detect an intruder, the target image must be at least 10% of screen height
• to recognise someone, their image needs to be 50% of screen height
• to identify someone, their image needs to be 100% of screen height.
Where the security officer’s CCTV display is a ‘quad’ screen (showing four images stacked two-high, two-deep) on
one monitor, each image is reduced to half the height of a full screen. For detection, the target image will need to
be at least 20% of the full screen height.
Mode 2: Monitoring triggered by alarm activation

This mode can be used in a blank screen configuration. Blank screen configuration means that the monitor only becomes
active when an alarm is triggered. Blank screen technology will not provide active monitoring and should only be used
as a detector. If blank screen technology is to be used as a detector, separate consideration should be given to active
monitoring. If blank screen monitoring is used and there is no alternative active monitoring, reviewing each section of the
perimeter once every five minutes is required, as an intruder may be able to carry out a very slow attack and breach the
perimeter without detection. Mode 2 can be used in combination with mode 1 to verify an alarm activated by the alarm
trigger.

1. Installing a CCTV system Principles 2/3 11
Mode 3: Monitoring by video analytics

Video analytics is the automatic analysis of video to determine whether there have been changes within a scene. If changes
do occur an alarm is triggered to alert operators and allow them to investigate the cause of alarm.
Just like mode 2, this mode can be used in a blank screen configuration as explained above. Mode 3 can be used in
combination with mode 1 to verify an alarm activated by the video analytics.
If modes 2 and 3 are used, recorded footage to show the lead up to and immediate time after the alarm (pre
and post alarm footage) should be immediately displayed to the operator. This allows the operator to determine
the cause of the alarm and any follow-up action required. A second monitor should display the live view of the
alarm area. At this point PTZ cameras may be used to track intruders until a response force can be deployed. In all
modes, in order to maintain any intruder at 10% screen height, it will be necessary to use multiple cameras with
overlapping fields of view.
Video recording
Video recording is important for incident review and as evidence. Any recording system must be able to provide usable and
useful imagery for the whole life of the recording or there is little point storing the data. The use of compression techniques
should be kept to a minimum as this will quickly reduce the quality of the imagery. Any recorded imagery should be
checked regularly after the recording date to confirm it is still of sufficient quality to meet the Operational Requirement.
Security team
CCTV systems should always be used in conjunction with other security measures and with lighting that suits the
requirements and aims of the system.
A well trained and motivated security team is vital for the efficient operation of any CCTV installation. Any situation
detected by the CCTV security operators should be responded to in a timely and appropriate manner to maximise the
deterrence effect of the CCTV system.
Any CCTV installation should be underpinned by a clear and well thought out Operational Requirement. This will be the
measure as to whether the system does what it was designed for.
Five minute rule

CPNI recommends that all CCTV images covering the perimeter of a site including access points are reviewed
every five minutes. This figure is derived from the CPNI physical attack methodology and testing standards.
The time required to view each scene will depend on the quality of the image, how cluttered the scene is
among other things. To demonstrate an achievable coverage, averaging five seconds per image, each operator
can monitor 60 cameras, excluding breaks and other duties. All other cameras used to verify alarms should be
monitored routinely.

1. Installing a CCTV system Principles 3/3 12

You may also want to read about Operational Requirement
Go to Glossary

Operational Requirement
Why carry out a systematic operational requirement (OR)?

• To record user and operational needs
• to recommend appropriate security measures that manage risks to an acceptable level
• to structure the way you determine security.
There are two levels of operational requirement – level 1 and level 2
Level 1 OR Level 2 OR
A Level 1 OR is the main statement of the overall A Level 2 OR covers individual security measures
security need. considered in the CCTV system.
It should involve all stakeholders – security managers, The Level 2 OR will be the basis for your requirements
building owners, the people work in and use the document, or technical specification that can used for
building, those responsible for maintenance and commissioning and during any testing and evaluation.
support requirements, and operators of the current and In a Level 2 OR, you should:
proposed CCTV systems.
• obtain a copy of the Level 1 OR
In a Level 1 OR, you define:
• agree which Level 1 OR should be pursued
• the site or building that the OR covers
• discuss a Level 2 checklist with stakeholders
• assets to be protected • write Level 2 Statement ensuring it relates to the
• perceived threats (and probability of their Level 1 OR
occurrence) against the assets or adjacent facilities • produce a performance specification using a
technical advisor
• consequences if assets are compromised or
• begin the procurement process.
damaged
• physical areas that contain the assets to be • All Level 2 Solutions must be integrated as
protected, and perceived appropriate. CCTV will only be one Level 2
Statement of a series of complementary ORs.
• vulnerabilities of those areas to the threat(s)
• what success looks like.
Only by completing a Level 1 and 2 OR can you decide if you require CCTV and what CCTV system
you require.

1. Installing a CCTV system Operational Requirement 2/2 14
External factors to take into account

When designing and installing a CCTV system some things that you might want to consider are:
• The proximity of the neighbours – this could have an impact on the lighting or limit where you can place your
cameras.
• The time required for a response force to reach a point of attacked – this might influence the type of camera
installed in a particular location.
• The local environment – extensive vegetation along a fence line will affect video analytics could help hide an intruder
if cameras are not in the correct position.
This is not an exhaustive list of the types of things that should be addressed when planning a CCTV installation. Each site
will have its own peculiar and unique characteristics and problems which will require consideration
A complete guide to the Operational Requirement process is available on the CPNI website in the Physical Security
Section.
You may also want to read about Principles

Go to the CPNI website: Operational Requirement process
Go to Glossary

2. Equipment Selection 15
The selection process: overview
Things to consider:
• What type of footage do you want?
• Do you require evidential footage?
• Will including colour information be important?
• Will you be recording?
• At what speed does the scene change?
• What sort of lighting will you be employing?
• Will the lighting support a guard response?
Read more about The selection process

You may also want to read about Recording
You may also want to read about Video analytics
You may also want to read about Perimeter lighting
Go to 2. Equipment selection
Go to Glossary

Cameras: overview
Analogue and digital cameras are different. In certain circumstances analogue cameras are entirely sufficient. Some
applications will require the added functionality that digital cameras provide.
Once you have considered the camera type you need to think about how the camera should be positioned. Fixed cameras
provide a known and consistent image whereas Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) cameras allow you to track a moving target.
Read more about Cameras

Go to Glossary

Recording overview
When choosing a recording system, the reasons for recording should guide the type of recording system that you use.
You need to think about whether you need recordings for:
• evidential purposes
• use with a form of automated alarm i.e. PIDS.
You may also want to consider how you use compression with a recording system and the effect that this will have on
image quality.
Read more about Recording

Go to Glossary

Video analytics: overview
Video analytics is the automatic analysis of video to determine whether there have been changes within a scene.
If changes do occur an alarm is triggered to alert operators and allow them to investigate the cause of alarm. Changes may
relate to:
• changes in greyscale or colour
• size of a change (i.e. area affected)
• speed of a change
• direction of a change
• any combination of the above.
Read more about Video analytics

You may also want to read about Situational awareness
Go to Glossary

Transmission methods: overview
To determine which method you are going to use for transmitting CCTV images back to the control room you should
consider:
• the distance required
• the bandwidth required
• initial installation costs
• running costs
• security requirements
• operating environment.
Read more about Transmission methods

Go to Glossary

2. Equipment selection 20
The selection process
There are a number of things to think about when considering what type of equipment you may need in your perimeter
CCTV installation. Not least, you should consider what other systems you will be using in your integrated security system.
Other systems could include:
• lighting
• PIDS
• human patrols or guards.
You might want to ask yourself these questions to help work out the best equipment:
• What type of footage do you want?
• Do you require evidential footage?
• Will including colour information be important?
• Will you be recording?
• At what speed does the scene change?
• What sort of lighting will you be employing?
• Will the lighting support a guard response?
Remember to always refer back to your OR documents.

Go to Glossary

Cameras
Analogue or Digital?
Analogue and digital cameras are different. It depends on your requirement as to which option is the best. In certain
circumstances, analogue cameras are entirely sufficient. Other applications will require the added functionality of digital
technology or networks.
Analogue Digital
Set format Multiple formats
Configuration less complex Complex configuration
Simple user interface User interface can be confusing
Potentially less expensive Potentially more expensive
Reduced cyber risk Potentially vulnerable to cyber attack
Fixed Vs Pan-Tilt-Zoom
CPNI advise the use of fixed cameras when designing a perimeter security CCTV system. There are a number of reasons for
this. Fixed cameras provide a known and consistent image. They can be configured to work to the optimum standard for
that specific location e.g. the image screen height is known, lighting can be tailored to that position, and the camera set up
to perform best in the light levels available.
Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) cameras offer versatility of use but have inherent weaknesses, users may not be certain what they
are looking at, they will certainly take longer to familiarise themselves with the scene and the camera may be left in the
wrong position. PTZ cameras are also susceptible to distraction attacks i.e. an attacker may be able to draw the operator’s
attention and cause them to move the camera which could allow an attack in a now unmonitored area. They do however
offer the ability to follow an intruder or look closely at an alarm area or location.
For the best security, both types of camera should be used within a system to achieve an optimal solution: fixed cameras
to cover the perimeter and supplementary PTZ for investigating a situation or tracking an attacker.
Camera positioning
When positioning cameras for perimeter CCTV coverage, a number of factors must be taken into account or understood.
• Cameras should be positioned so that the images overlap and each camera’s mounting position can be seen by
another camera view to prevent tampering and to ensure that the system is “self-protecting”.
• All areas required by your Operational Requirement must be covered.
• Cameras should be located in a place where maintenance can be easily carried out.
• Mounting poles must be placed on the secure side and they should be in a position so that they can’t be used to help
somebody climb.

2. Equipment selection Cameras 2/2 22
• The environment must be taken into account (sun, wind, foliage growth in summer etc.) including the change of
season.
• Neighbouring sites or residential areas should be carefully considered to ensure privacy is not compromised.
• Cameras should be positioned, numbered and laid out to allow operators to easily follow an intruder from one view
to another.
• Camera poles/cameras should be labelled to assist a response force’s identification but to not assist an intruder.
Landmarks can also be used to help with identification.
• If you intend to use Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), video analytics or biometric recognition, you
may need to alter your camera positions from the ideal position for human operation. It may be worth considering
another camera for these applications when human operators need to use the imagery.

Go to Glossary

Recording
When choosing a recording system, the reasons for recording should be borne in mind. What is it you wish to record? If
it is for evidential purposes, the quality, resolution and frames per second should be sufficient as to enable identification
and capture all pertinent details within the scene. That may mean that compression schemes may not be suitable. If you
are using CCTV with any form or automated alarm, i.e. PIDS you may wish to set the system such that you are able to get
instant playback for X seconds before and Y seconds after an alarm activation without interruption of the main recording.
For maximum situational awareness for an operator this function should be enabled. It is recommended that 5 seconds of
pre alarm footage and 10 seconds of post alarm footage are displayed automatically on the generation of an alarm.
It must be understood that any form of compression will reduce the quality of image. However, depending on the OR
this may be acceptable. If you are trying to track an intruder and identifying only the colour of their clothing a heavier
resolution compression may well be tolerated. If you are trying to view / record facial features, small details or vehicle
number plates lower compression will be required.
With compression it is best to perform both a subjective test and a quantitative test. Use of the CCTV standard test targets
such as Rotakin and the Home Office’s “Faces” will allow you to do this.
Certain recording systems will apply increasing compression over time to maximise the time you can store CCTV footage.
This can affect both the quality of the image (resolution) and the number of frames per second (fps). This is carried out
automatically and you may not realise the footage has been degraded until it is needed for post event investigation.
Even if your CCTV system does not apply further compression over time it may still record at a lower quality or
fps than the live view. It is always best to review both the live view and recorded imagery to confirm it meets your
Operational Requirements and will need to be carried out at varying times, CPNI recommend you check video
footage, 1 min, 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week 1 month after the footage is recorded.

Go to Glossary

Video analytics
Video analytics is the automatic analysis of video to determine whether there have been changes within a scene. If changes
do occur an alarm is triggered to alert operators and allow them to investigate the cause of alarm. It can be a good tool to
use in an integrated security solution.
Video Analytics systems detect changes in CCTV images. Those changes may relate to:
For perimeter security applications, the CPNI Sterile Zone Intruder Detection system is most applicable. Systems can be
configured to register zones and then alarm if anything ventures into the sterile zone.
Changes in Size of a change Speed of a change Direction of a Any combination

greyscale or colour (i.e. area affected) change of these.
When using video analytics, as with any other automated detection system, the detection rate and false alarm rate need
to be balanced against each other. A high detection rate is required to ensure that all potential intrusions onto the site
are detected and acted upon. However a high detection rate increases the sensitivity of the system. As the sensitivity of
the system increases, the false alarm rate often increases and too many false alarms become unmanageable for security
officers. Large numbers of false alarms can lead to CCTV operator complacency and true alarms subsequently being
ignored.
False alarms due to environmental conditions and wildlife can be minimised as the system can be tuned to suit an
individual site. The process of installing and tuning a video analytics system can take a long time to accomplish as a full
range of environmental conditions is necessary, some of which only occur in specific seasons. It is not unusual for a system
to take over 1 year to fine-tune.
Some systems will attempt to do this automatically and “learn” what false alarms look like. The system effectively builds a
library of false alarms so that it can recognise and then ignore them where necessary.
Video analytics should be tested regularly to ensure that they still provide the required level of detection. Some
technologies that “learn” what false alarms are can also learn regular but unwanted behaviours which should be
detected
Most perimeter security detection systems should have a false alarm rate of below 10 alarms per kilometre
per day.

2. Equipment selection Video analytics 2/2 25
Security officers should expect to regularly deal with alarms and the control room should be adequately resourced to allow
the alarm to be promptly dealt with. All systems should be regularly checked to ensure they are operating correctly; this is
especially important where false alarm rates are very low

You may also want to read about The control room
Go to Glossary

Transmission methods
When considering which method (or combination of methods) are going to be used for transmitting the CCTV images back
to the control room a number of factors should be considered:
• the distance required
• the bandwidth required
• initial installation costs
• running costs
• security requirements
• operating environment.
Coaxial cable
Capacity – 1 camera, can be multiplexed
Copper Wire Distance – up to 300m, can be retransmitted
Insulation Security – tapping possible, tampering easy
Copper Mesh Installation – low cost materials, expensive installation
Outside
Maintenance – minimal if appropriate cable is selected
insulation
Environmental – crushing can cause ‘ghosting’, can pick up
interference from motors etc.
Microwave
Capacity – up to 300MBps or higher
Distance – 20km line of sight
Security – tapping possible, encryption to be used. Denial of service
through intrusional or accidental jamming are possible.
Installation – specialist, may need a tower
Maintenance – regular cleaning
Environment – affected by heavy rain, needs stable mount, requires
high point for antenna.

2. Equipment selection Transmission methods 2/3 27
Optical fibre
Capacity – 10GBps or higher, variable
Distance – up to 50km on an individual run
Security – tapping difficult
Installation – materials and installation expensive
Maintenance – minimal, expensive to repair
Environment – resistant to RF interference, easily crushed or cut.
Twisted Pair
Capacity – 1 camera per pair
Distance – up to 1500m, can be repeated
Security – tapping possible
Installation – low cost materials
Maintenance – little maintenance
Environment – less susceptible to interference.
Ethernet
Capacity – many cameras if used with IP, depending on image quality
required
Distance – <300m between switches
Security – tapping possible, tampering possible
Installation – low cost material, expensive to install
Maintenance – cabling lasts a long time, switches have limited
lifespan
Environment – less susceptible to interference, often already
installed in the building.

2. Equipment selection Transmission methods 3/3 28
WiFi
Capacity – 1GB dependent
Distance – around 200m
Security – tapping possible, requires encryption
Installation – materials can be expensive
Maintenance – minimal
Environment – reliant on local area WiFi usage, same as microwave, on
an unlicensed band it can become very crowded and bandwidth can be
unstable.

Go to Glossary

3. Human factors 29
The control room: overview
“Human factors” is about how humans interact with technology, when thinking about your CCTV systems this covers
the operators and guard force. Maximise the effectiveness of the operators and security officers by:
• limiting tasks to 20 minutes
• using the correct size of monitors at the right angle and distance from the user
• using good quality desks and seating
• regulating the temperature so that the control room is comfortable
• ensuring that lighting is controlled and glare reduced.
Read more about The control room

Go to 3. Human factors
Go to Glossary

3. Human factors 30
Situational awareness: overview
Situational awareness is being aware of, and understanding, what’s going on – and what’s the right action to take in this
situation (given what you know about it and what your resources are).
The situational awareness cycle:

1. Taking information about the environment the operator is controlling and/or monitoring.
2. Understanding how this information relates to the situation as a whole.
3. Carrying out the most appropriate action in response to the situation (and then back to one).
Read more about Situational awareness

Go to Glossary

3. Human factors 31
The control room
“Human factors” is about how humans interact with technology, when thinking about your CCTV systems this covers the
operators and guard force. Ultimately all decisions and escalation are carried out by a human and the system should be
tailored to take account of this. Organisations which operate CCTV systems often focus on the technical or equipment
requirements and neglect the role of the operator. When thinking about control rooms it is always best to consider the
human aspect and work from there.
The design and layout of a CCTV control room can go a long way to maximising the effectiveness of the operator or
security officer and therefor the CCTV system.
The CCTV checklist:

РР Comfortable working temperature
РР Good quality seating
РР Good quality desks
РР Correct size of monitor
РР Correct distance and angle of monitor to reduce eye strain
РР Correct lighting
РР 20 minute shifts.
Control of room lighting is important, variations in lighting levels, as well as glare, can cause problems and should be
controlled.
Glare can be avoided by:

• not positioning light sources immediately in front of or behind the operator
• using moveable lights or diffusers
• avoid reflective surfaces such as worktops
• placing monitors at right angles to light sources.
Human attention span is limited and tasks that require intensive sustained vigilance such as monitoring CCTV
feeds should be covered in brief shifts of 20 minutes.

3. Human factors The control room 2/2 32

Go to Human factors in CCTV control rooms: A best practice guide
Go to Human factors in CCTV control rooms checklists
Go to Glossary

3. Human factors 33
Situational awareness
The process of understanding what is happening in a dynamic situation is called situational awareness. This is essentially:
‘knowing what is going on so you can figure out what to do’. While this may sound obvious, loss of situational awareness
can rapidly lead to inaccurate assumptions, poor decisions and errors of action – with potentially negative consequences.
Situational awareness in control rooms can be influenced by many factors:
• CCTV operators must receive accurate information about the current state of any situation – information from
cameras, detection systems, alarms and communications equipment – then convey this information to the correct
people.
• operators should be able to understand the results of any action taken in order to make further decisions.
This all stems from appropriate training and familiarity with the standard operating procedures in force within a particular
site and control room. Understanding is vital.
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) should be known to every Security Control Room Officer – having these clearly
written in an accessible folder for use during an incident can help officers to remember these procedures.
CCTV operators should regularly “walk the ground” to understand the wider context of what they are seeing and further
their situational awareness. If control room operators do not understand what lies out of camera view they cannot be
expected to make decisions based on that information. Conversely Patrolling Security Officers should experience the CCTV
operator’s view to understand the benefits and limitations of the CCTV system.
SITUATIONAL
AWARENESS
Taking information about Understanding how this
the environment the information relates to
operator is controlling the situation as a whole
and/or monitoring
Carrying out the most

appropriate action in
response to the situation

3. Human factors Situational awareness 2/2 34

You may also want to read about Operational requirement
Go to Glossary

4. Commissioning and maintenance 35
Commissioning: overview
Once a CCTV system has been installed it must be commissioned properly to ensure that the OR was met and the system
does what it needs to.
When commissioning a system the technician should use the Rotakin test. The Rotakin test evaluates the performance
of your CCTV system and it was developed to make sure that a system is capable of producing suitable images for the
operator.
A CCTV system should be set so that an operator can see images at the following screen heights:
• 10% - able to detect
• 50% - able to recognise
• 100% - able to identify
Read more about Commissioning

Go to 4. Commissioning and Maintenance
Go to Glossary

Maintenance: overview
To ensure that a CCTV system continues to operate as designed and commissioned, preventative maintenance is required.
When you’re considering maintenance don’t forget:
• Cameras
• Lighting
• Cabling
• Connections
• Out of hours contracts.
Read more about Maintenance

You may also want to read about Transmission methods
Go to Glossary

Commissioning
Once a CCTV system has been installed it must be commissioned correctly to ensure that the OR was met and that the
system does what is required of it.
Use our checklists below when thinking about commissioning, you will need to refer back to your OR for an extensive
checklist but you can use these to get started:
Cameras and Lighting РР Check that field of view and requirements are within
specification.
РР Is Rotakin viewable at all points around the
perimeter?
РР Is Rotakin viewable at the correct percentage screen
height at all points around site?
РР Is the lighting uniform and supportive of the CCTV?
РР Can the CCTV imagery been seen 24 hours a day?
Picture presentation РР Are the pictures viewable and of good quality within
the control room and other viewing locations?
РР Can ALL guards use the imagery (different people
will have different requirements from the imagery
and user interface)?
РР Is it possible to read the specified resolution bar on
Rotakin?
Recording РР Is there sufficent storage to hold imagery for the

required period of time?
РР Ensure that if compression is used, the images held
are of a usable quality, both on the live and recorded
view.
РР Is the recorded footage still suitable after different
time periods 1hr, 1day, 1 week, 1 month?
System Verification РР The CCTV system should be tested and

commissioned as part of the integrated security
system.
РР Does the CCTV system integrate with other physical
security meassures as intended - including during
normal running and alarm activation?

4. Commissioning and maintenance Commissioning 2/3 38
400mm
When commissioning a system the technician
should use the Rotakin test. The Rotakin test
evaluates the performance of your CCTV system
based on the picture quality and image screen
height.
Rotakin Test
The following screen heights will be used depending
on the OR of the CCTV system based on Home Office
ROTAKIN recommendations.
J
L Detect 10%
K
Recognise 50%
Identify 100%
M For systems which incorporate Thermal Imaging cameras,
the Thermakin test target is available for commissioning
purposes.
1600mm
For information on the design, manufacture and use of
1
Thermakin, information is available on the CPNI website
under Physical Security/CCTV.
A
2 B
C
3 D
E
4
F
5
G
6
H

4. Commissioning and maintenance Commissioning 3/3 39
You may also want to read about Maintenance

Go to CPNI Physical Security/CCTV
Go to Glossary

Maintenance
To ensure that a CCTV system continues to operate as designed and commissioned, preventative maintenance is required.
This may be as simple as a regular cleaning routine – a dirty camera lens will not give usable CCTV imagery.
Preventative maintenance should be undertaken to ensure that the whole system is performing to the operational
requirement.
Cabling and connections should be checked regularly. Both physically with inspections and electronically to ensure that
they are still performing to the correct specification.
A maintenance contract should be in place with clearly defined responsibilities. i.e. what the installer/maintenance
company is responsible for and what the site is responsible for. For example, who pays for spare parts or replacement
cameras if one should fail?
Maintenance contracts should be specified and documented in order to avoid confusion at a later date. A particular area of
concern would be out of hours repair.
You may also want to read about Commissioning

Go to Glossary

5. Supplementary equipment 41
Perimeter lighting: overview
Perimeter lighting should be used to create a uniform and well-lit strip around a site, both inside and outside the perimeter.
Things to consider:
• create a well-lit, uniformed strip around the perimeter fence
• lighting should be even
• lighting levels should be 3:1 min to average
• minimum illumination of 3 lux (5 lux on commissioning)
• illuminate both sides of the fence (secure and insecure side)
• lighting columns must not be an aid to climbing.
Read more about Perimeter lighting

You may also want to read about Thermal imaging
Go to 5. Supplementary equipment
Go to Glossary

Thermal imaging: overview
Thermal imagers use the heat radiated from objects to determine the class of a target – whether vehicle, person or
animal. Thermal imagers can be used as part of a CCTV system, giving longer operational ranges than traditional and
infrared cameras.
Thermal imagers can be monitored in three real-time modes:
• by human operators
• by alarm triggers
• by video analytics.
Read more about Thermal imaging

Go to Glossary

IP systems: overview
Internet protocol (IP) enabled camera systems provide a unique challenge. They may be subject to attack and
should be protected.
There should be an adequate level of separation between any IT infrastructure within the protected zones and the IP
camera networks.
There are three levels for protection that you can use:
• base
• enhanced
• high.
When using any level of protection encryption must be enforced to mitigate against false images being sent via
replay attacks.
Read more about IP systems

Go to Glossary

Perimeter lighting
Perimeter lighting should be used to create a uniform, well-lit strip around a site, both inside and outside the perimeter.
This becomes an effective deterrent as an intruder must pass through this well-lit area before they reach the perimeter
fence. The luminaire should be mounted on an outreach arm on the lighting column which places the luminare directly
above the fence line. This reduces shadows and dark spots along the fence.
The mounting poles should be a minimum of 2m inside the perimeter fence to ensure that they can’t be climbed up by an
intruder to defeat any Perimeter Intruder Detection System (PIDS) that may be on the fence.
When selecting perimeter lighting you should think about the sensitivity of your cameras to lighting and how they detect
colour to ensure that operators get the best images possible.
Black and white sensors are inherently more sensitive than colour sensors and can be used with infrared (IR) lighting.
However they will not display colour information.
Colour cameras are not sensitive to infrared light and will not work with IR illuminators, however, day/night switchable
cameras will operate under IR illumination.
Below is a summary of points to consider when thinking about perimeter lighting:

• create a well-lit, uniform strip around the Perimeter fence
• lighting should be even, lighting levels should be 3:1 min to average
• minimum illumination of 3 lux (5 Lux on commissioning)
• illuminate both sides of the fence (secure and insecure side)
• lighting columns must not be an aid to climbing.

5. Supplementary equipment Perimeter lighting 2/2 45

You may also want to read about Thermal imaging
Go to Glossary

Thermal imaging
400mm Thermal imagers use the heat radiated from objects to

determine the class of a target – whether vehicle, person
or animal. Thermal imagers can be used as part of a CCTV
system, giving longer operational ranges than traditional
and infrared cameras. As a result, thermal imagers can
only be used to determine the class of a target. It will not
allow an operator to identify or recognise the person or the
colour of a vehicle. Thermal imagers cannot see through
glass.
Thermal imagers are sold on the fact that they allow for
TAKIN greater detection ranges than traditional CCTV, this is true
but may only be useful in certain circumstances. CPNI
J have produced guidance on the specification, installation,
operation and maintenance of thermal imagers, which can
K be found on the CPNI website.
Thermal Imagers can be operated in 3 real-time modes:
• monitoring by human operators
• monitoring triggered by an alarm activation
• monitoring by Video Analytics.
1600mm Thermal imaging may be used with a dedicated video

analytics system and a human is not expected to verify the
A alarm or view the footage. Thermal imagers can be used
B at longer distances and can detect with only a few pixels
C
D moving within the image. However, many sites will want
E to verify an alarm before deploying a response force to
investigate.
F
If the image from a thermal imager is to be viewed by an
G
operator then the system will be limited by the human
H vision system. For detection tasks, a target image will
be required to fill 10% of the screen height for reliable
detection.

5. Supplementary equipment Thermal imaging 2/2 47
Before deciding on thermal imaging as a solution, a thermal survey should be carried out to ensure targets will
be visible. Occasional heat sources (e.g. machinery, air conditioning units, etc.) and environmental conditions
can vary at different times of the day and throughout the year.
For commissioning and testing a thermal imaging system, Rotakin is not suitable as it does not provide contrast in the
thermal band. As such the Thermakin Standard is available for the end to end testing of thermal imaging systems.
Thermakin is a passive (no power required) human sized test target which provides contrast in the thermal band and
should be used in a similar fashion to Rotakin, to confirm camera coverage. Full details are available on the CPNI website.

You may also want to read about Commissioning
Go to Glossary

IP systems
IP systems and IP cameras provide a unique challenge for perimeter security as they may be subject to attack and need to
be protected.
Regardless of whether the protection level is base, enhanced or high, an adequate level of separation between any IT
infrastructure within the protected zone and the IP Camera networks must be demonstrated.
The diagram below shows a typical CCTV layout.
IP Network Outside of C
Physical Perimeter
V
Camera Monitoring Station
C
V
IP Video
C
IP Connected Recorder
Coax Camera Mulitplexer
V
Boundary Control
C C C C C
IP Connected IP Connected Analogue Analogue Analogue

Camera Camera Camera Camera Camera
IP Network Outside of Coax (Analogue) Connected Zone

Physical Perimeter

49
5. Supplementary equipment IP systems 2/2
To provide adequate mitigation against false images being sent via replay attacks at all protection levels, encryption must
be enforced.
Base
At base level of protection, simple IP address filters (deployed on the Camera’s or integrated PTZ controls) may be
considered sufficient.
Enhanced and High

At enhanced and high protection levels, then full isolation of the IP network that extends outside of the boundaries of
the protected zone (e.g. the network that connects to the camera), from that of the management station is required. In
the case of enhanced this should consist of a Commercial Product Assurance (CPA) approved firewall. In the case of high
protection levels, this should be a full CPA approved proxying device that allows no direct connections to the internal
network.
It is recommended this isolation is enforced by a CPA evaluated firewall.
High
At high protection levels, then the IP network that extends outside of the boundaries of the protected zone (e.g. the
network that connects to the camera), should be subjected to network level monitoring that is capable of detecting both
the addition, removal and change of any system on the network.
Network level monitoring might include Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) monitoring, port scanning and persistent heart-
beat verification.

Go to Glossary
Recommendations 50
Further reading
• BS EN 50132
• CPNI Guide to Producing Operational Requirements for Security Measures
• CPNI Security Control Rooms Guidance Document
• CPNI/SSG Guide to Security Lighting
• Home office CCTV commissioning
• Human Factors in CCTV control rooms CPNI website
• Thermal Imager guidance CPNI website
• Thermakin Standard CPNI website.

Glossary 51
Glossary, acronyms and

abbreviations
ANPR
Automatic number plate recognition analyses vehicle registration numbers to
Automatic Number Plate
alert when a new plate is found.
Recognition
ARP Used for mapping a network link to a physical address so that you can determine
Address Resolution Protocol the machine providing specific network links.
The measurement and analysis of people’s physical and behavioural

Biometric technology
characteristics. Measurements can include iris, fingerprint and face scans.
Monitors will display a blank screen until an alarm is activated. On activation the
Blank screen technology
screen would then display images to the operator.
CPA
Ensures that products and their developers are tested against security standards.
Commercial Product Assurance
Ghosting Double images showing on the CCTV screens due to a malfunctioning camera.
Human factors The interaction between humans and technology.
Internet protocol cameras send and receive data over the internet.
IP camera
They can also be referred to as ‘webcams’ or ‘internet cameras’.
IR
Infrared
Luminaire Electric light.
A system where multiple signals or pieces of data can be sent via one
Multiplexed
communication link that is separated out again at the receiving end.
OR A statement of what a site needs in order to fulfil its aims, with a systematic
Operational requirement assessment of possible problems and solutions required to achieve those aims.
PIDS An electronic detection system designed to detect and alert when a site’s
Perimeter intruder detection perimeter is attacked or crossed. Can be either barrier/fence mounted or free
system standing.
PTZ A type of camera that can be moved and focussed by remote control, allowing
Pan-Tilt-Zoom the image to follow a moving target or scan a wider area.
A replay attack is a form of attack on the network in which a valid data

Replay attack
transmission is maliciously or fraudulently delayed or repeated.
RFI
Interference that degrades the quality of images produced by CCTV.
Radio Frequency Interference

Glossary 2/2 52
Evaluates the performance of your CCTV system based on the picture quality and
Rotakin test
image screen height.
Scene The recording area for a camera as seen by the operator.
SOP
Standard Operating Procedure
Thermakin test Used to evaluate the performance of your thermal imaging system.
The automatic analysis of video to determine whether there have been changes
Video analytics
within a scene.

CCTV Physical Security National Security Guidance 1672430987

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

CCTV Physical Security National Security Guidance 1672430987

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

CPNI CCTV for CNI Perimeter

© Crown copyright 2017

© Crown copyright 2017

© Crown copyright 2017

THE SELECTION PROCESS

© Crown copyright 2017

THE CONTROL ROOM

© Crown copyright 2017

© Crown copyright 2017

© Crown copyright 2017

The following principles should be followed when installing a CCTV system:

Read more about Principles

© Crown copyright 2017

Operational Requirement: overview

Read more about Operational Requirement

© Crown copyright 2017

Mode 2: Monitoring triggered by alarm activation

© Crown copyright 2017

Mode 3: Monitoring by video analytics

Five minute rule

© Crown copyright 2017

You may also want to read about Cameras

© Crown copyright 2017

Why carry out a systematic operational requirement (OR)?

There are two levels of operational requirement – level 1 and level 2

© Crown copyright 2017

External factors to take into account

You may also want to read about Principles

© Crown copyright 2017

The selection process: overview

Read more about The selection process

© Crown copyright 2017

Read more about Cameras

© Crown copyright 2017

Read more about Recording

© Crown copyright 2017

Video analytics: overview

Read more about Video analytics

© Crown copyright 2017

Transmission methods: overview

Read more about Transmission methods

© Crown copyright 2017

The selection process

Remember to always refer back to your OR documents.

You may also want to read about Cameras

© Crown copyright 2017

Set format Multiple formats

Configuration less complex Complex configuration

Simple user interface User interface can be confusing

Potentially less expensive Potentially more expensive

Reduced cyber risk Potentially vulnerable to cyber attack

© Crown copyright 2017

You may also want to read about Perimeter lighting

© Crown copyright 2017

You may also want to read about Cameras

© Crown copyright 2017

Changes in Size of a change Speed of a change Direction of a Any combination

© Crown copyright 2017

You may also want to read about Cameras

© Crown copyright 2017

© Crown copyright 2017

© Crown copyright 2017

You may also want to read about Cameras

© Crown copyright 2017